Film-perforating machine.



PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

E. SCHNEIDER.

FILM PERPORATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 15, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

[ID-DUE NO. 788,851. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905. E. SCHNEIDER.

FILM PBRFORATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILED 1330.15. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

STATES Fatented May 2, 1905.

EBERHARD SCHNEIDER, OF NET/V YORK, N. Y.

' FlLlVl-FERFORATING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,851, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed December 15, 1904- Serial No. 236,940.

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, EBERHARD SCHNEIDER, a citizen of Germany, residing at New York city, (Manhattan,) county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Film-Perforating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine more particularly designed for perforating the films of moving-picture exhibitors, though the machine may also be used for perforating other articles.

My machine is so constructed that the film is intermittently advancedin a uniform manner, that any dead movement of the feeding mechanism is avoided, and that the film is positively locked during its periods of rest, when the operation of the plungcrs takes place, so that a perfect product having uniformlyspaced perforations is obtained.

in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved film-perforating machine; Fig. 2, a left-hand end elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, with part of the frame omitted; Fig. 4:, a detail of the table, presserfoot, and punches; Fig. r, a detail of part of the adjustable rail; Fig. 5, a detail of the pindrum and coupling; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section through a modification of the drum; Fig. 6, a detail of the adjustable countershaft bearings; Fig. 7, a cross-section on line 7 7, Fig. 6; Fig. 8, a detail of a modification of the punches, and Figs. 9 to 19 show films provided with differently-arranged perforations.

The letter (0 represents the bed-plate of the machine, from which rise the bearings a of a driving-shaft b, which is designed to feed the film and also to operate the punches. The shaft t carries a pulley Z) and fly-wheel 6 and is so coupled to the film-feeding mechanism that any wear of the shaft or its hearings will not injuriously affect the true feed movement of the film. To obtain this result, shaft 6 is provided with a disk 6 having a wrist-pin b. This pin engages a slot 0 of a disk 0 which is carried by a counter-shaft a, mounted in alinement with shaft 6. Counter-shaft c is journaled in adjustable eccentric bearings 0 rotatably fitted in circular openings of uprights a (1. Figs. 6 and 7. In order to adjust the bearings 0 and lock them in position, they are provided with flanges 0*, having curved slots o These slots are engaged by set-screws 0, tapped into uprights (1, (0. Upon counter-shaft e is mounted one member (Z of a Geneva movement, having pin d, which is adapted to engage the slots a of the second member a of said movement, which is mounted on spindle 0 By the means described the continuous rotation of shaft t is converted into an intermittent rotatory movement of spindle 0 while the engagement of the curved portions of the members (Z c positively locks spindle against movement between its periods of rotation. The adjustability of bearings 0 permits an accurate engagement to be effected between the members (Z a, thus avoiding any dead motion. Upon spindle e is mounted a pinion a, engaging a large gearwheel f. This wheel is provided with a curved slot f", engaged by a set-screw g of a hub keyed at 7 to a spindle g. f of"wheel f projects over the edge of hub Fig. 5, and holds the parts in axial aline ment' The spindle g is journaled in the uprights a (t and extends laterally beyond upright (4. Upon this extension is rigidly mounted a feed or pin drum )l/ for imparting the intermittent movement to the film A. This film is provided with a number of perforations by means of'the punches hereinafterdescribed, and these perforations are engaged by the pins 71/ of drum [1 such pins being arranged to conform to the position of the perforations. Thus it will be seen that by the means described the Geneva movement intermittently locks positively the spindle e and that the spindle in turn intermittently locks positively the pindrum it. Further, by means of the adjustable connection between gear-wheel fand hub an accurate adjustment between the Geneva movement and the pins of the pin-d rum 70 may be effected, so that the pins may be properly alined with the perforations in the film which have been previously produced by the punches.

The film passes from a suitable deliveryreel (not shown) over a table 2', against which The rim it is held by a presser-foot j, pivoted at y" to side rails z" of table 2'. These rails are laterally adjustable by means of a slot d in the rails engaged by setscrews i which are tapped into the table. A spring f holds the free end of presser-foot 1' down, and thereby prevents the film A from being raised off the table by the ascent of the punches B B. These punches pass through perforations f of presser-foot j, through the film, and into perforations k of a matrix In, countersunk into table 1', Fig. 4E. The severed particles of the film are ejected through chute Z. After clearing the punches B B the film, being now perforated, is engaged by the feed-drum it, such drum being journaled back of table iand and matrix k, Fig. 2. The film is held against the feed-drum by a roller m and is carried by the drum to a suitable receiving-reel. (Not shown.)

The drawings illustrate two sets of punches B B, of which the punches B are adapted to make perforations A along the edges of the film or at the sides of the image-receiving spaces, while the punches B are adapted to make perforations A within the body of the film or between the image-receiving spaces.

It is obvious, however, that either set of punches may be omitted and the machine be worked with but a single set. H eretofore it was usual to feed the film by the side perforations A only, which were either arranged in close proximity, as in Fig. 9, or farther apart, as in Fig. 19, one hole being formed in the latter case in alinement with the center of each image; but these side perforations are objectionable for a number of reasons, the principal ones being that they readily tear out and that they reduce the width of the film area available for the reception of the images. By forming the perforations A between each pair of adjoining images and at a distance from the edges of the film these objections are overcome, the life of the film is increased, and a wider panorama may be exhibited. Figs. 9 and 19 represent a film A, having side perforations A only. Figs. 10 to 12 show the side perforations A used in conjunction with different numbers of body-perforations A Fig. 11 illustrating the particular film made by the machine represented in the drawings. Figs. 15 to 15 represent films with body-perforations A only, while Figs. 16 to 18 repre sent films having spaced side perforations A in conjunction with diflerent numbers of bodyperforations A The means for operating the punches are as follows: Upon shaft?) is mounted an eccentric b engaged by a strap a. This strap is connected by a rod 91 to the lever 0 of a rock-shaft 0, journaled in .bearings a, so that each rotation of shaft I) will cause one complete oscillation of shaft 0. Shaft 0 has an arm 0 engaging a link 1), which is pivoted at 5 p to a cross-head g.

This cross-head carries the plungers q of the punches B, such plungers being movable in tubular guides (1 The machine is so timed that the punches engage the film while the feed-drum b is at rest, when it is locked in position by the engagement of the curved sections of the Geneva movement.

The punches B will descend once between each movement of the feed-drum, while the punches B should descend once-say after each fourth movement of such drum so as to clear the image-receiving spaces. This movement is imparted to the punches B in the following manner: Shaft Z) carries a pinion 6, meshing into a large gear-wheel r, having wrist-pin 1'. To this pin is connected one end of a rod 8, the other end of which is connected to the lever 25 of a tubular rockshaft 1., which is fitted loosely upon rockshaft 0. Shaft 25 has an arm t engaging a link u, which is pivoted at u to cross-head o. This cross-head carries the plungers o of punches B, the plungers being movable in tubular guides 41 The proportion of the wheels 5 r is shown to be such that the plungers n will descend once at each fourth rotation of shaft 6; but these proportions may manifestly be varied.

If desired, the machine can be so constructed that different sets of punches may be operated by the same pair of plungers o. In this way the same machine may be used for forming all the various perforations illustrated in the drawings by attaching to the plungers o the particular set of punches desired. To obtain this result, the lower ends of the plungers o are mortised for the reception of pins 20, projecting from a plate 20, Fig. 8, which car ries the punch 102 or the set of punches de sired. The plate 20 is secured to the plungers o by set-screws 20 so that the plate may be readily removed and replaced by a plate carrying a different arrangement of punches.

The pins h of feed-drum h must correspond in position to the perforations made in the film by the punches. Thus if the punches B are used the pins it are set near the edges of drum it, Fig. 5, while when the punches B are used without punches B the pins h are set back, as shown in Fig. 5*.

It is desirable that the drum 72. may be so turned that its pins h are brought into accurate engagement with the perforations A or A of film A. This adjustment is caused by slacking screw 9, changing the relative positions between hub g and wheel f, and then reclamping the hub to the wheel. In this way the position of drum It may be changed with relation to that of wheel f, and consequently to that of the driving-shaft.

What I claim is 1. In a film-perforating machine, the combination of a driving-shaft with a first member of a Geneva movement actuated thereby, a second member of said movement engaging the first member, a pinion actuated by the second member, a gear-Wheel engaging the pinion, a hub adjustably secured to the gear- Wheel, a spindle carrying the hub, a pin-drum mounted on the spindle, and a punch, substantially as specified.

2. in a film-perforating machine, the combination of a driving-shaft having a Wrist-pin, With a counter-shaft having aslotted disk engaged by said pin, a first member of a Geneva movement mounted on the counter-shaft, a second member of said movement engaging the first member, a pinion actuated by the second member, a gear-Wheel engaging the pinion, a hub adjustably secured to the gear- Wheel, a spindle carrying the hub, a pin-drum mounted on the spindle, and a punch, substantially as specified.

3. In a film-perforating machine, the combination of a driving-shaft, With a countershaft coupled thereto, adjustable bearings for supporting the counter-shaft, a first member of a Geneva movement mounted on the counter-shaft, asecond member of said movement engaged by the first member, a pin-drum operatively connected to said second member, and a punch, substantially as specified.

4. In a film-perforating machine, the combination of a pin-drum, with means for intermittently rotating the same, a table, rails ad justably secured thereto, and a spring-influenced presser-foot pivoted to the rails, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at New York city, (Manhattan,) New York, this 14th day of December,

, EBERHARD SCHNEIDER. Witnesses:

WILLIAM SoHULz, FRANK v. BRIESEN. 

